On CDC estimates, St. James is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns
St. James differs from North Carolina on 26 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 19 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for St. James. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in St. James
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in St. James
1 in 5 adults have had cancer (18.7%), more than twice the North Carolina rate. 1 in 9 adults have heart disease (11.3%), vs 6.6% across North Carolina. Arthritis is also above the state: 45.1%, vs 26.9% across North Carolina. In all, St. James runs above North Carolina on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 63% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%), and cancer, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in St. James, and more people treating it
49.9% of adults have high blood pressure (North Carolina 36.8%), but 88.8% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.7% statewide. Checkups ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, St. James’ lead shrinks
St. James is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns, but 57% of the 6,248 towns with similar household incomes ($87K–$145K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
St. James keeps up with checkups
It beats North Carolina on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (90.4% vs 80%) and dentist visits (81.5% vs 63.6%). Checkups ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the North Carolina figure falls outside St. James’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind St. James’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. James is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns, #80 of 289 in North Carolina. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than almost every U.S. town); diabetes pulls it down (better than 13%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). St. James’ median household income is $116,383; among the 6,248 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($87K–$145K), it’s healthier than 57%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 St. James adults…
St. James runs below NC on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 7. Tap one to see it as people.
St. James is an older town: 63% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Carolina. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in St. James as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of St. James adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
Care in and near St. James
No hospital or community health center in St. James itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of St. James; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
How St. James adults are doing
On 4 of 4 measures, St. James does better than North Carolina.
1 in 4 St. James adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
3.8% of St. James adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
St. James and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. James | A− | 28.8% | 15.4% | 8.5% | CDC place |
| Oak Island | A− | 31.3% | 13% | 11% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of St. James adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for St. James
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, St. James is better than North Carolina on 19 and worse on 7; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside St. James’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | St. James | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.8%11.7–20.5 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.8%10.2–15.7 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.1%7.4–10.9 | 16.5% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.8%22–36 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.4%12.5–18.4 | 12% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 49.9%44.2–55.4 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 51.2%45.7–56.6 | 35.6% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 45.1%39.8–50.1 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.2%8–10.6 | 10.8% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 18.7%16.6–20.8 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 11.3%9.4–13.4 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9%6.6–12 | 7.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.9%4–5.9 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.7%6.1–9.6 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.5%5.4–11.9 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 20.1%14.5–26.3 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 8.3%6.6–10.2 | 14.7% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 24.3%19.4–29.5 | 34.2% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.3%2.8–6.7 | 10.4% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 90.4%88.3–92.3 | 80% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 81.5%78.8–83.9 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 96.7%95.9–97.4 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 88.8%85.9–91.2 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 84.4%80.7–87.5 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.1%75.6–87.3 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.4%16.1–23 | 24.2% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 23%18.7–28.1 | 32.5% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 14.5%11.4–18.5 | 22.5% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 5.1%3.1–7.9 | 15.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 3.3%2.3–4.6 | 12.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 2.3%1.7–3 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 3%2.2–4.1 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 3.8%2.1–6 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.4%26–39 | 32% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.7%12.7–21.3 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 8.3%6.3–10.6 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 12.2%10.3–14.4 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.1%3.2–5.2 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.9%4.4–7.6 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%2.5–4.3 | 4% | 3.8% | About the same |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the North Carolina figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in St. James
Is St. James a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. James is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #80 of 289 in North Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 57%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in St. James?
CDC estimates 28.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 22% and 36%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to St. James?
J Arthur Dosher Memorial Hospital in Southport, 4.6 miles in a straight line from St. James’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in St. James have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2.8–6.7%), against 10.4% across North Carolina.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in St. James more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in St. James.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The North Carolina figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.